Aremuorin

By Mazi Abi (Notes by Aremuorin)

 

In life just because you are #kind does not mean it’s going to be reciprocated. Even in your own #family. How much #more when you #save someone’s #life ..’ – Aremuorin 

#MercyfulGrace

Apparently, for 9 years, a civil law case has been going on against Coca Cola Bottling Company, manufacturers of Fanta and Sprite,

That impacts directly on our health and lives. Let me try and paraphrase it, so una no go sleep off.

Basically, one Dr Fijabi, had in 2007, bought about N12 million worth of Fanta and Sprite drinks from Coca Cola Ltd, and exported same to the United Kingdom.

However, on reaching England, under Health and Safety regulations, the authorities tested the products and found them to contain “poisonous levels of Benzoic Acid and Sunset addictives”
And were therefore declared “unfit for human consumption”.

The whole export consignment was consequently destroyed.
Dr Fijabi therefore, sued Coca Cola for Negligence, breach of duty of care to its customers, and loss of earnings.
Fine.

Now comes the interesting part, so sit your yansh well :
The Almighty Coca Cola only offered one defence in court :

That Mr Fijabi did not tell them he was going to Export the Fanta and Sprite to England;

That they were indeed manufactured “FOR LOCAL CONSUMPTION”.
What??? For local consumption?
Make I continue?? Hmmmmmmmmmm
So what Coca Cola bottling company is telling us, is that,

If they knew the Fanta and Sprite were to be exported to England, they would not have added so much poisonous acid;
But for the people of Nigeria, it is normal to poison us. Chikena.

That is the official courtroom statement of Coca Cola Bottling Company of Nigeria.Yesterday, The Lagos High Court under Justice Adedayo Oyebanji, was ‘crying’ when she gave judgement against Coca Cola, declaring them callous and negligent.

She ‘cursed the regulatory body NAFDAC for not carrying out proper laboratory checks on Coca Cola production in Nigeria.

Cancer was listed as one of the ailments that the present Fanta and sprite can cause, especially if taken with Vitamin C tablets.

He therefore, ordered Coca Cola to henceforth add a WRITTEN WARNING on Fanta and Sprite bottles that “this product must not be taken with Vitamin C.” Once again, Oyinbo has come to our rescue.

This is stuff you people in Nigeria should concern yourselves about, Not whether Dollar has gone up or down.

#Copied

Here is what their company had to say 

NIGERIAN BOTTELING COMPANY HAD TO SAY in response  their – Company Statement

NBC Allays Concerns Over Benzoic Acid in Soft Drinks.
Our attention has been drawn to media reports which contain misleading information on the safety of benzoic and ascorbic acids as ingredients in soft drinks, citing a Lagos High Court order.
In the judgement delivered on February 15, 2017 in a suit involving Fijabi Adebo Holdings Limited & Dr. Emmanuel Fijabi Adebo v. Nigerian Bottling Company Limited (NBC) & National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the Lagos High Court dismissed all claims against NBC and held that the company had not breached its duty of care to consumers and that there was no proven case of negligence against it. 
In the same judgement, the court directed NAFDAC to mandate NBC to include a warning on its bottles of Fanta and Sprite that its contents cannot be taken with Vitamin C as same become poisonous if taken with Vitamin C. This order was premised on the fact that the products contain the preservative, benzoic acid. NBC has since appealed this order. 
Whilst we do not wish to delve into the details of the case or the merits of the court order by this medium, we find it imperative in the interest of consumers and members of the public to make the following clarifications:

1. In the subject case which dates back to 2007, the UK authorities confiscated a consignment of our products shipped to that country by the plaintiff because their benzoic acid levels were not within the UK national level, although well within the levels approved by both the national regulators for Nigeria and the international levels set by CODEX, the joint intergovernmental body responsible for harmonizing food standards globally. 

2. The UK standards limit benzoic acid in soft drinks to a maximum of 150 mg/kg. Both Fanta and Sprite have benzoic levels of 200 mg/kg which is lower than the Nigerian regulatory limit of 250 mg/kg when combined with ascorbic acid and 300 mg/kg without ascorbic acid and also lower than the 600 mg/kg international limit set by CODEX.

3. Both benzoic acid and ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) are ingredients approved by international food safety regulators and used in many food and beverage products around the world. 

4. These two ingredients are also used in combination in some of these products within levels which may differ from one country to another as approved by the respective national food and drug regulators and in line with the range prescribed by CODEX,. 

5. The permissible ingredient levels set by countries for their food and beverage products are influenced by a number of factors such as climate, an example being the UK, a temperate region, requiring lower preservative levels unlike tropical countries. 

6. Given the fact that the benzoic and ascorbic acid levels in Fanta as well as the benzoic acid level in Sprite produced and sold by NBC in Nigeria are in compliance with the levels approved by all relevant national regulators and the international level set by CODEX, there is no truth in the report that these products would become poisonous if consumed alongside Vitamin C.

7. The wrong perception emanating from the media reports that our Fanta and Sprite beverages which are fully compliant with all national and international food quality and safety standards are unsafe, simply because their levels of Benzoic acid were not within the UK standards, is not only unfounded but also undermines the entire food and beverage industry in Nigeria which is regulated by the same ingredient levels approved by NAFDAC and other regulatory bodies for the country. 

NBC hereby assures our consumers and members of the public of our unwavering commitment to product quality, safety and customer satisfaction. 
Signed

Management

Nigerian Bottling Company Ltd

Source – Internet

Notes

A reliable source tells us that the devil is in the details. UK is 1ppb of benzene in Coca-Cola. US is 5ppb. So US won’t even pass the test. 

Now I know why my lawyer always said If coca cola, told you what’s in it, will you still drink it?

#MercyfulGrace 

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Àrèmúorin – Anthony Everest is a Jazz, Soul-R&B Multi Award Winning Indie Singer-Songwriter, Author, Producer. No1, 49+ Weeks, Jazz Charts.

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